Photographic-printing frame



Dec. 26, 1922.

G. M. WINSTEAD.

PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTING FRAME.

Elli-l FILED APR. 7,1920.

n J 4 u l/VVE/VTOf? 6 60232? JIZ 77,? ad

ATTOR/VEY' Patented Dec. 26, 1922.

UNITED STATES GEORGE M. WINSTEAD, 0] LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA.

PHOTOGRAPHIC-PRINTING FRAME.

Application filed April 7,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE M. WINSTEAD, a citizen of the United States,residing at Long Beach, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Photographic-. Printing Frames, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to photographic printing apparatus, and is particularly adapted to be used for making photographic prints on sensitized paper from film negatives by means of artificial light.

In the making of photographic prints in quantities for the trade, it has been the usual custom to'employ a Suitable printing frame provided with a glass, which, is mounted horizontally over a box in which is disposed Y a powerful incandescent lamp adapted to be intermittently illuminated by means of a switch; and in order that prints of various sizes may be made, what is known in the trade as masks are employed, a separate mask being used for every size print'which it is desired to make. These-masks are placed on top ofthe glass in the frame and the film negative placed under the mask, the mere frictional pressure of the mask against the edges of the film being depended upon to hold the film in adjusted position. This'is objectionable inasmuch as the film ofttimes becomes shifted from its adjusted position with reference to the mask, thus taking up the operators time for a readjustment, and thereby greatly decreasing the output. In employing frames of this character a great deal of time is also wasted in looking up and adjusting anew mask when it desired to make prints of a different size.

By mounting the frame in a flatwisc or horizontal position over the light box, .it will also be obvious that the operator not only has to handle the print paper when adjusting it to be printed, but must handle each. print after it has been made, a second time, in order to remove the same from the frame, thus wasting a vast amount of time.

In using the frame with masks of varions sizes as above described, it has also been the custom to use print paper of a larger size than the ultimate size of the finished print to form a uniform parallel border on 1920. Serial No. 371,970.

the same. This process is necessarily expensive as each printmust be trimmed sepa rately.

It is one of the objects of my present invention to overcome the above recited disadvantages by providing a frame having an adjustable mask which may be instantly and accurately regulated to make a rectangular print of any desired dimensions.

I Another object of my invention is to provide a combined film holder and print paper gauge, which will positively hold the film in proper adjusted position when the print paper is being placed in position on the frame or being removed therefrom.

A further object of my invention is to so mount the printing frame over the light box and to so arrange the paper gauge and adjustable mask with reference to the frame, that when the platen is removed the print will automatically slide by force of gravity from the frame into a suitable drawer or other receptacle.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a frame having an adjustable mask and print paper gauge, whereby the print paper may be first cut to the desired size and the mask so adjusted with refcrence to the gauge that an even and uniform holder will appear around the photograph when printed.

Other objects will appear in the following description, will be pointed'out in the claims and will be embodied in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a photographic printing frame embodying thesalient features ofmy invention, the platen being removed in order that certain details may be more clearly shown.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the same, taken. on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1., showing the platen in an. inoperative position.

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, the platen being broken away.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmental section taken on the line 4--4 of Fig. 1, showing in dotted lines the negative holder and print paper gauge in a raised position.

Fig. 5.is a vertical section on a small scale, showing the printing frame mounted in an inclined position over a. light box, as it would appear when in use, the details of constriurtion of the masks and operating mechanisms being merely indicated in dia gram. I

In carrying out my invention, 10 is a frame consisting of a flat board having a centrally disposed rectangular opening 11 therein. Mounted over the rectangular opening 11 is a glass 12, the surface of which is adapted to be substantially flush with the outer surface of the board 10. The outer surface of board 10 is provided with a pair of rectangular grooves 13 and 14 running in parallel relation, and spaced suitably apart across said board, and mounted to slide in said grooves are rack bars 15 and 16. Secured to the bars 15 and 16 is a vertically disposed mask plate 17, which is preferably formed of thin sheet metal and is adapted to move transversely across the face of the glass 12. Each of the bars 15 and 16 engage with pinions 1S and 19 se cured to a shaft 20 mounted in a groove formed in the under surface of board 10, and supported in suitable bearings, said shaft being provided with a knurled handle 21. By the above recited construction it will be obvious that when the handle 21 is turned that the mask plate 17 will be caused to move transversely across the face of the glass 12 in either direction.

Secured to the outer face of board 10 are a pair of vertically disposed housings 23 and 24, which are spaced suitably apart and disposed parallel relation with each other, and mounted to slide in said housings are the rack bars 25 and 26. Secured to rack bars 25 and 26 is a transversely disposed mask plate 28, preferably formed of thin sheet metal adapted to move in a vertical direction in unison with rack bars 25 and 26, and. is disposed just above the mask plate 17 and in contacting relation therewith. Rack bars 25 and 26 are adapted to be moved in a vertical. direction or up wardly and downwardly by means of pinions 29 and 30 which are secured to a horizontal shaft 31 mounted in bearings 32 and 33 secured to the frame. The shaft 31 is provided with a knurled knob 34 which when properly manipulated will impart vertical movement to the mask plate 28.

Attached. to the upper surface of board 10 by means of screws 36, is a resilient negative holding device indicated at A-, preferably consisting of a spring plate 87 that extends over the rack harhousing 23, and provided with a transversely extending presser bar dddisposed directly over the 12. Bar 38 is provided with a thin metal ledge 39 that projects from one of the longitudinally extending sides 50f: said handle, and secured to the free longitudinaledge ofspring plate 87 is a bar 40 which is provided with a thin ledge 41,

both 'ledgesl39 and 41. beingv disposed at right angles to each other and forming a combined negative holding clamp and print paper gauge.

From the above it will be noted that by lifting the presser bar 38 by means of the finger hold 43 formed on the outer end thereof, the film negative 44 (see Fig. 4) maybe insertedunder the ledges 39 and 41 of the resilient negative holding device, and held firmly thereunder in close contact with the glass 12, and that the side faces 45 and 46 of the bars 38 and 40 will act as a gauge for the photographic print paper 47, and that the ledges 39 and 41 will act to prevent the light from penetrating the print paper on two of its edges and there by form a border on the print.

The frame 10 is provided with the usual platen 50, which comprises a member 51 hinged at 52 to a block 53 secured to board 10, and the member 54 which is hinged at to member 51. The members 51 and 54 are caused to be held upwardly in the position shown in Fig. 2 by means of the springs 56 and 57. By this construction it will be seen that after the operator has adjusted his print paper, he presses the platen down upon the same to hold it in place during the printing operation, during which time the powerful light is turned on under the glass 12.

The frame 10 and accompanying mechanism is preferably mounted in an inclined position over a suitable light box 60, as clearly shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings, and is hinged at 61 to said light box in order that the lower part of said frame may be tilted upwardly that access may be had to said box. Mounted in box are incandescent light bulbs 62 adapted to be switched on and off intermittently during the printing process and a small light 63, which is illuminated at all times in order that the operator may have sufficient light when adjusting the film negative and the printing paper.

Box 60 is provided with a drawer 64 adapted to be drawn outwardly as shown in dotted lines at 65 and to be disposed just below the lower edge of board 10. By this construction it will be seen that after the print paper has been sufliciently exposed to the action of the light 62, the platen 50 permittedto spring upwardly, thereby allowing the print to slide by gravity into the drawer 65.

In order that a border of the width may be formed on the lower and right hand sides of the print, the mask plates 17 and 28 are provided respectively with scored marks 67 and 68 adjacent their inwardly projecting edges. hen the rint paper is cut to proper size, a sheet thereof may be primarily placed against the side faces 45 and 46 and the masks 17 and 28 maybe adjusted so that the marks 67 and proper 68 will register with the lower and right hand edges of said print paper. It is obvious by this method of adjustment that an even border will be formed entirely around the print.

By the above recited construction and mode of operation it Will be seen that I have provided a printing frame which may be quickly and minutely adjusted to make prints of any desired dimensions and will form an even and accurate border around said prints, as Well as a means of holding the film negative positively in an adjusted position. It will also be obvious by mounting the frame over the box in a slantwise'position that the prints will automatically fall out of position after they have been exposed and the platen lifted, thereby enabling me to make prints in an extremely expeditious and economical manner.

lVhat I claim is:

1. An apparatus of the class described, comprising a frame, a transparent member mounted in said frame, a pair of vertically disposed parallel bars mounted on said frame having a mask plate secured therebetween, a pair of horizontally disposed parallel bars mounted on said frame having a second mask plate secured therebetween, and gear means for positively moving each pair of bars in unison.

2. An' apparatus of the class described, comprising a frame, a transparent member mounted in said frame, a pair of mask members mounted to slide at right angles to each other and over said transparent member, a resilient negative holding member mounted on said frame, and gearing for positively actuating said mask members.

3. An apparatus of the class described, comprising a frame, a transparent member mounted in said. frame, a pair of mask members mounted to slide at right angles with respect to each other on said frame and over said transparent member, and a resilient negative holder provided with a print paper gauge mounted on said frame.

4. An apparatus of the class described, comprising a frame, a transparent member mounted 1n said frame, a pair of mask members mounted to slide at right angles with respect to each other provided with print paper gauge marks at their edges adjacent two sides of said transparent member, mounted to slide on said frame, and a gauge member mounted on said frame arranged adjacent the other two edges of said transparent member.

5. An apparatus of the class described, comprising a light box, a frame provided with a transparent member mounted on an incline over said light box, a pair of mask members mounted on said frame adapted to be moved at right angles With respect to each other, gearing for moving said mask members, and a resilient negative holder and platen mounted on said frame.

6. An apparatus of the class described, comprising a frame to be used in connection with a transparent member, a mask member adapted to move horizontally on said frame over said transparent member,

a second mask member adapted to move vertically on said frame over said transparent member, one of said members being disposed above the other, and gear means for positively operating said mask members.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 30th day of March, 1920.

GEORGE M. VVINSTEAD. 

